Where it All Began
by AvA-181
Summary: CHAP 2 UP! This is a PREQUIL fanfic to my fanfic THE RETURN. Thanks for reading!
1. Falling Snow

Hello Shadow Raiders Fans!  This is sort of a Prequel to my fanfic **The Return**.  Its mainly a Pyrus/Zera fic, but of course, it includes all of the characters.  I just wanted to write this to get these ideas out of my head so I can write The Return with out them interfering.  Its also to explain some of the new characters in my main fic, as well as the whole Pyrus/Zera thing.  No, I don't own Shadow Raiders…because if I did, I would be making a 3rd season right now.  All other characters are my own.  This fic begins right after Jade takes the throne of Planet Rock.  The Beast Planet has been teleported to places unknown, leaving behind many rogue squadrons of Beast ships.  The Alliance is now trying to gain a foot hold on itself, and where they now stand with the Beast Threat gone.  Back to enemies, or remain at a some what settled peace.  Anyhoo! Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Falling Snow 

*********

"Perhaps I should take the controls."  Zera huffed as Pyrus flew the small transport ship through another spatial fluctuation.  The ship rocked slightly as it regained its heading toward Planet Ice to drop Zera off.  With everyone else trying to find out where the Beast Planet had disappeared to, Pyrus and Zera had been left to their own devices.  

"Just keep your eyes on the engine power levels."  Pyrus rolled his eyes at her comment.  "It's the big blue screen with the yellow rotating axis."

"Listen, match brain, I don't need you to tell me where it is."  Zera crossed her arms and sat down in the seat beside him.  As another jolt shook the ship, Zera peered over at Pyrus's controls.  "Perhaps it is I who should be giving you the flying lessons." 

"If you don't like my flying, then why'd you come?"  Pyrus kept his eyes on the screen output. 

"You were the only one available for three hours, and there is now way I am waiting around on Rock for three hours."  Zera smirked slightly.  "So I had to lower my standards and make due with what was available." 

"Excuse me?"  Pyrus raised an eyebrow at the insult.  "Would her Ladyship prefer to ride in the cargo hold with her over abundance of useless luggage?" 

"How dare you!"  Zera narrowed her amber eyes at him.  

"Me?"  Pyrus took his eyes away from the controls to meet her icy glare.  "Look, either deal with my flying and shut your frost bitten yap, or go ride in the back."  

"With the way you fly, the back would probably be safer!"  Zera retorted.  It seemed they couldn't spend more than a few minutes together before their conversations turned into fights.  Completely opposite in every way, they seemed to be oddly united in the passionate spark they both had for a good argument when ever possible.  

"Well, it certainly would be easier to fly with out your loud-mouthed complaints every five seconds."  Pyrus shot back. 

"Loud mouthed!" Zera blinked for a second before knocking a good punch to his right shoulder. 

"Ow!"  Pyrus shot into a surprised defensive posture.  "That's it!  If you won't go quietly, I'm just going to drag you to the back."  

"You wouldn't dare!"  Zera stood up and backed away a few paces. 

"Try me."  Pyrus stood up and approached her.  "C'mon frosty butt, its to the cargo hold with you!"  

"Back off before I am forced to kick your lava headed butt through every part of this ship."  Zera took on an attack posture with an aggravated glare on her face.  Despite everything, she was enjoying this, and on the inside, she was laughing at it all. 

"You and what fleet!"  Pyrus laughed.  Just when the fight was getting good, however, a large jolt nearly upended the ship.  The sudden movement pushed Zera into Pyrus's arms as the consul's sensors began to sound off the alarms.  Zera paused for a moment in his arms before defensively pushing him away.  

"Now what have you gotten us into, Ace."  Zera huffed and made her way back to the controls.  

"Ah yes, I always forget.  Everything is my fault."  Pyrus rolled his eyes and joined Zera at the consul.  

"This time, I am afraid its worse."  Zera got out before another jolt rocked the ship, the aft thruster disintegrating into a mass of fire and debris.  

"Beast ships!"  Pyrus blinked.  "They must have missed the transport with the Beast Planet." 

"And now they are targeting us!"  Zera held onto the consul as the Beast squadron took out the other thruster.  

"Quick, get on the com and notify planet Rock."  Pyrus looked at the almost useless controls and the scenery of Planet Ice becoming every closer at an increasing speed.  "Tell them we are going down."  

*********

"My King."  General Gala entered the meeting hall of Rock where the Alliance Leaders all sat.  The look on the general's face caused King Cryos to rise from his seat.  

"What has happened?"  Cryos said in his usual mask of calm.  

"We received a distress call from the transport Kyre. "  Gala continued.

"That's the one Pyrus was using the take Zera home, is it not?"  Tekla questioned, now understanding the look of concern on Cryos's face.

"Yes, My Lady."  Gala answered.  "They were under attack by a rogue squadron of Beast ships left behind after their planet disappeared."  

"Where are they now?"  Cryos clenched his fist slightly, but the calm look of distant concern remained on his face. 

"We are not sure, My King."  Gala responded in a disheartened sadness.  "We believe their ship crashed somewhere in the Northern Plains of our planet.  We also believe that the Beast ships have gone after them."  Gala lowered his head with a long sigh.  "I am sorry I am unable to tell you more."

"It is not your fault, General."  Cryos took in a long breath.  "Send out search parties immediately, and prepare my ship for departure."  

"Of course, My King."  Gala nodded and hurried off to carry out his orders.  

"Lets go then."  Femur hopped off of his chair and began to waddle out of the door.  

"You're coming?"  Graveheart looked at Femur.

"You better believe it."  Femur nodded.  He and Graveheart continued out of the room.  "Don't want that kid to turn into a Popsicle." 

"Do not worry."  Tekla put a hand on Cryos's shoulder.  "We will find her."  

"I know we will."  Cryos looked to her and nodded.  "We must."  

*********

"Where…"  Zera's hushed voice broke the dark silence of the cockpit.  The only light illuminated the room from blinking consul indicators and errant sparks from fallen wires.  Zera blinked in the darkness as her eyes adjusted to the light levels.  Her hands immediately clutched her aching head as she sat up.  A small moan from the corner of the room broke the returned silence.  "Pyrus?"  

"I think so."  Pyrus moaned out before coughing.  

"What happened?"  Zera stood on shaky feet and stumbled her way over to the voice.  

"We crashed."  Pyrus said as he pushed the thin piece of inner hall plating off of himself.  The light he added to the dim room caused Zera to blink several times. 

"Very funny."  Zera huffed and helped him to his feet with all four of her hands.  Her eyes searched the darkness again as her two back arms folded against her shoulder blades.   "But where are we?" 

"One of your planet's caverns in the Northern Plains I believe."  Pyrus shrugged, not really sure of exactly where they had landed.  

"Wonderful."  Zera shook her head with concern. 

"All we have to do is wait here until they find us."  Pyrus winced as he put weight down on a sore ankle. 

"Are you dimmed?"  Zera pointed a finger at him.  "Do you have any idea how many caverns there are in the Northern Plains?  It could take them weeks to find the right one!"  

"Oh."  Pyrus blinked.  "Well then what do you suggest, oh insightful one?" 

"Simple."  Zera said matter of factly.  "We have to make our way to the surface so they can spot us from the air." 

"And do you by any chance know how to get to the surface?"  Pyrus questioned with a less than assured look on his face.

"We go up, of course."  Zera replied as she made her way out of the wreckage of the ship. 

"Oh that's brilliant."  Pyrus rolled his eyes and grabbed a emergency supply kit before following her out.  He watched her begin to climb one of the walls that led up to an upper tunnel before mumbling to himself.  "Up she says…"

"Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there and freeze to death?"  Zera looked down at him after reaching the top of the wall.  Pyrus reluctantly began to follow, promising himself to never go on another ship alone with the Ice Queen again.  

********

"At this rate, it could take weeks to find them."  Cryos said with a heavy heart as the many search vessels continued to scan the Northern Planes.  

"Still no signal from Zera's pendant?"  Graveheart looked over at his friend with concerned eyes.  

"No."  Cryos sighed and shook his head.  "And I doubt their will be." 

"Why's that?"  Femur quirked an eyebrow. 

"These deep caverns are walled by a mineral known as Nanzyte."  Cryos  responded.  "Any signal from her pendant would be reflected back at them by the cavern walls.  They will only be able to send a signal when they are closer to the surface where the Nanzyte is less dense."  

"My King,"  General Gala's image appeared on the com screen.  "Sectors 4 and 5 have not revealed any sign of a crash sight."  

"Split up your team so we can cover more ground."  Cryos looked out at the horizon and its fading light.  "It will be dark soon." 

"I will do as you wish, my King, but with the amount of snow we have received in the past few hours, we could pass over the crash site and not even know it."  Gala informed the search party. 

"I know."  Cryos nodded.  "You are right, of course."  He paused again to keep his calm composure.  "We will have to continue with a ground search tomorrow.  We are little help from the air.   Tell your men to set up camp and set out at first light."  

"Yes, my King."  Gala bowed and the com image disappeared.  

"We are giving up for the night?"  Femur raised an objection.  

"Will they be alright over night?"  Graveheart hated to give up, but he new searching in the dark would be futile. 

"Sure they will!  Those are the two most stubborn kids in the galaxy your talking about!"  Femur tried to offer an uplifting vote of confidence.  Cryos simply nodded quietly and stepped off of the bridge of the ship.  The smile faded from Femur's lips as he looked up to Graveheart.  "They'll be ok…wont they?"

*******

"Damn these walls."  Zera cursed and closed the pendant around her neck.

"Still no luck?"  Pyrus smirked at Zera's curse.  It was an uncommon thing for miss "high and mighty", and he had to admit that he liked it.  

"No."  Zera paused and looked up at one of the high cavern walls.  She looked at her reflection in the mirrored surface for a moment before glancing at Pyrus's reflection.  It was then that she noticed he was limping.  She turned sharply to him.  "What is wrong?" 

"What?"  Pyrus took a few steps with the same small limp.  

"That."  Zera pointed at his leg.  "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

"Its nothing."  Pyrus swallowed a stab of pain has he attempted to put full weight on the ankle.  "Just a sore ankle."  

"Sure it is."  Zera raised an eyebrow at him in a smirking glance.  "Well I suppose we could stop for a rest." 

"Tired already, are you?"  Pyrus smirked back at her.  

"Pyrus…"  Zera rolled her eyes.  She knew his stubborn pride wouldn't let him rest.  "Fine.  Yes.  I am tired and I would like to rest for a bit."  

"Oh."  Pyrus blinked, surprised to have her give up so easily.  Pyrus slid down one of the mirrored walls of the open cavern they had come to and let out a small sigh of relief.  The pain from his ankle had been steadily increasing for the past four hours.  

"Well, besides the ankle injury that does not hurt, how is the rest of you doing."  Zera sat down across from him.  "You seem a little shorter of breath than usual." 

"It's the deep cold of the caverns I think."  Pyrus let his eyes wander about the cavern walls.  "And the lack of air movement.  You?"

"I am alright."  Zera wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them to her chest.  He was right about the deep cold.  Even the people of Ice have their tolerance levels.  She reached out one hand and searched through the supply kit for a moment before retrieving a heat blanket and tossing it onto Pyrus's lap.  "That should help for a bit."  

"Thanks."  Pyrus unfolded the blanket and wrapped it about himself.  He watched her for a moment as she put her head down on her knees and closed her eyes.  A small flitch came over her body as she tightened her grip on her knees for a moment.  It passed and she returned to the calm silence.  He had seen her do this once before in their trek through the vast caverns and tunnels. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yes, of course."  Zera replied without raising her head.  "Just try and get some sleep before we have to move on."  

"Alright."  Pyrus sighed.  He knew he wouldn't be able to fight the information out of her, and he was to tired to even try.  He found himself watching her form in the small lantern light as it moved with the breaths she took.  Before he had time to think on what came to his mind with that image of her, he was fast asleep.   

******

"Who's bright idea was it to camp out here and freeze our tails off?"  Femur shivered around the small camp fire.  The search fleet had stopped for the night to get some much needed rest and replanning.  The snow had ended for now, but it had been replaced by a bitter wind that swept with out mercy across the open plains.  With it, it blew away any tracks or evidence of a crash site.  With every hour that passed, hopes became dimmer. 

"You're more than welcome to go sit on the ship."  Graveheart said after a sip of warm mineral cider.  

"Nah."  Femur sighed.  He looked around at the quieted camp area.  Most had fallen asleep already, awaiting first light to return to the search of their missing princess.  The distraught in the Ice soldiers' eyes was evident.  Soldiers of Fire would arrive at first light, but what help they could be in such harshly cold conditions was yet to be seen.  

"May I join you?"  General Gala approached Femur and Graveheart.  

"Please."  Graveheart extended his hand toward a place to sit.   

"Thank you."  Gala took a seat and stared at the small fire burning in the center of their small group.

"How is he?"  Graveheart tilted his head toward the troubled General.

"He is…lost."  Gala sighed.  "That is the only way I can describe it.  She is his whole world." 

"That's for sure."  Femur nodded.  "That's why we gotta find her and the kid."

"Lord Pyrus?"  Gala raised an eyebrow at Femur's reference.

"Ya."  Femur chuckled slightly.  "Don't know why I still call him that."

"He has grown up since we first met."  Graveheart nodded.  He turned to Gala with a look of honesty.  "And if anyone can keep the princess safe, he can." 

"You bet."  Femur agreed.  

"He does care for her, I know."  Gala spoke bluntly as his eyes turned toward the fire.  His words left the other two in a silent agreement.  "He is the only true friend the Princess has ever had."  Gala paused to look at the two.  "I have full confidence that he will look out for her well being."  He turned to look at the rest of the Ice soldiers.  "We all do."  

******

"Zera?"  Pyrus awoke with a small yawn and looked across from him where Zera had last been.  Finding her no longer there, he searched the dimly lit cavern for her.  A distant yelp of what seemed to be pain brought his attention to an opening in the cavern wall.  With a great amount of effort, he rose from his position with the heat blanket still firmly wrapped around his shivering form.  "Zera?  Where are you?"

"Leave me alone."  Zera called from beyond the opening in a raspy voice.  

"What?"  Pyrus raised an eyebrow and made his way into the opening.  Zera sat in the larger cavern beyond, clutching her knees to her body.   The weakening lantern gave him a dimmed vision of her face.  Small wells of tears in her eyes reflected in the lantern light.  "Zera, was has happened?  Are you injured from the crash." 

"No."  Zera turned her face away from him.  "Please, just leave."  

"Fine."  Pyrus huffed.  Before he could turn to go, Zera's body posture caused him to stop.  Her head raised in a voiceless gasp as her feet and hands dug into the hard ice below her.  He walked toward her again.  "What is wrong with you?"

"Pyrus…please…"  Zera spoke in between labored breaths and dry gasps of pain.   Loosing control of her senses, she turned sharply to him, her hand coming at him with a heavy thrust.  "Leave!"  

"No."  Pyrus caught her wrist as he dodged the fist she threw at him.  The strength of it surprised him as his muscles tensed to keep her arm in his grip.  "Not until you tell me what is going on."  

"I…"  Zera gave up trying to fight his grasp and turned her eyes way from his.  "I can not stop it.  Please leave."   

"Why must I leave?"  Pyrus knelt down beside her, his warm grip still on her wrist.  

"Because,"  Her eyes raised toward his.  Finally at this close range, Pyrus could see the great amount of pain that she was under, and how every part of her was fighting the urge to yell out in anguish.  "I fear I may hurt you."  

"Hurt me?"  Pyrus blinked.  "Why would you do that?"  Pyrus got his answer as another wave of violent shaking hit Zera's body.  A deep moan echoed through her throat, followed by a quick movement of her wrist.  He watched in confusion as her eyes rolled back into her head, a surge of strength hitting him from her other arm.  He found himself on his back a few feet away from her.   As her senses returned to her, a look of helplessness and anguish filled her eyes. 

"I am so sorry."  Zera turned her eyes away from him, unable to face him.  What was happening to her was more than just uncontrollable, it was embarrassing.  "Now you see why you must leave."  

"No, I don't."  Pyrus got back up on his feet and approached her again.  "You still haven't told me what's going on. "

"Must you be so stubborn."  Zera inched away from him as he knelt down beside her again.  

"Around you?  You bet I do."  Pyrus offered her a small smile as she brought her eyes up to his.  

"I could hurt you again."  Zera spoke honestly.  

"I'll take my chances."  Pyrus watched as a smaller wave of pain made its way through her body, her face contorting into a strong resolve to keep herself still and quiet.  As the wave passed, she let out a long breath, tears once again finding their way across her cheeks.  Without thinking, Pyrus reached out and made the tears disappear against her skin in a wisp of steam.  The lost look in her eyes as she opened them again caused Pyrus to loose his thoughts for a moment.  Despite all of the fighting and differences between them, the fact that he unexplainably and truly did care for her was never more obvious to him than when he looked into her hurt eyes.   "Please tell me what is wrong."  

"It…"  Zera began then stopped as her eyes looked away from him again.  A welcome warm and gentle hand brought her chin up again.  Her eyes opened to look into his and she found the strength to continue on.   "It is the Drach'mar." 

"Drach'mar?"  Pyrus recognized the sound of the ancient Ice dialect, but was unable to remember the meaning of the word.  

"The time of the changing."  Zera said in words he could understand.  She took in a heavy breath.  Explaining this to off-worlders was never easy or looked forward to.  She found it even more difficult to tell him, to let him see her in this great  moment of weakness.   Small waves of sharp tingling continued to run across her skin, causing her to pause and regain her composure.  She looked at Pyrus as he patently waited for her to continue.  "We have known each other for three years now.  Have you noticed in all that time, that even though you have changed and grown, become stronger…more masculine…even more mature…"  Zera gasped in a suddenly large surge of pain to her spine.  Her hand found its way into his as he offered it to her. 

"Stop and breath for a moment, Zera."  The deep concern in his voice brought comfort to her.  The strength of her grip increased as the wave ebbed into its climax.  As it subsided, he strengthened his own hold on her hand and smiled to her as she nodded.  "Yes, I have changed."   

"And I have not."  Zera finally continued.  Her words caused Pyrus to nod in a strange realization.  Never noticing it before, he now saw what she meant.  She had not grown a single inch, or changed in the slightest way at all.   "The females of my race must wait for the Drach'mar."  Zera said bluntly, wanting to get the embarrassment over with. 

"The Drach'mar allows you to grow and change?"  Pyrus could see the small amount of embarrassment mixed with the pain in her eyes.   

"Yes."  Zera gave a small nod.  "We go through three Drach'mars in our lives. This is my second.  The first was when I was of ten years, now the second in my sixteenth year, and the last in my twenty-first year of life. "

"But the males do not go through this?"  Pyrus tilted his head, watching her every expression.  

"No, they do not."  Zera shook her head.  

"Is it supposed to hurt this much?"  Pyrus asked honestly. 

"Yes."  Zera nodded, her grip on his hand tightening again for an instant as she held her breath.   "But my time has come earlier than was expected.  Usually, I would have a Drach'mar Neich."   She paused too look at his confused eyes.  How strange he must find this.  Yet another difference that now existed between them.  "The Neich is a female who has gone through the Drach'mar I am entering, and is to act as my guide in dealing with the changes.  My Neich, however, is not here at the moment…so I am forced to go the first wave alone." 

"This is only the first?  Of how many?"  Pyrus could not believe that this much pain was only the beginning for her.  

"The number is different for everyone."  Zera shrugged.  

"When will this first one be over?"  Pyrus tilted his head again, hoping the answer was sooner than later.

"Perhaps by morn..." Zera stopped and closed her eyes again as another wave hit her.  This one was much more violent than before.   As Pyrus watched her muscles tighten, he began to think their was more to this Drach'mar than she was telling him.  He had never seen her so strong or so violent.  

"Breath Zera."  Pyrus watched helplessly as her hand flew from his grip and her body began to contort in painful convulsions.  As cries of pain began to make their way past Zera's clenched teeth, Pyrus found himself taking her shaking body into his arms.  Holding him to her, he tightened his grip around her misleadingly delicate looking figure, finding himself having trouble keeping her in his grip.  "Shh."  He soothingly hushed her, his hand caressing her back.  

"By Frore…"  She yelped in tears against his chest, her hands clutching tightly to him for stability.  "It hurts so much…"  

"It'll be ok."  He whispered to her.  It was an odd, yet comforting, feeling that he found himself experiencing as he held her close to him.  It was so rare to have the stubborn Ice Princess so helpless and in need of his support. He remembered the look in her eyes when he had saved her on the bridge, and he remembered her face when she had realized that touching him had not been as bad as had been rumored.  Over time, they had grown accustomed to each other's touch.  Her look held much the same confusion as she brought her tear filled eyes up to look at him.  For an unknown reason, he found himself both lost and  comforted by her eyes looking into his.  As another wave shook her body, her head fell against his shoulder, her weakened body unable to fight it any longer.  "Shh.  It will be ok.  I will stay here until it passes, I promise."  He could tell she was still fighting the screams rising in her throat.  "Just let it come, Zera.  There is no one here to hear you but me."

"Pyrus."  She whispered, her resolve finally ending.  A great howl of pain escaped her and filled the cavern with its anguish.  Clutched to him for more reasons than she could grasp, she let it come.  It was then that she knew he would be there for her this night, and any other time to come.   He would always  be there. 

******


	2. What Must Be Done

Chapter 2: What Must Be Done 

As morning light crept across the horizon of the vast Ice plain, the search party was already full of activity. A great deal of snow had fallen that night, making the search effort that much more difficult. Reinforcements from the Fire moons had arrived during the night, but the deep cold of the Northern plains was hampering their efforts to help. The morning light seemed bleak as it rose to greet the group. 

"No, Jade." Graveheart sighed as he looked at her image on the communicator. 

"Don't sound so heavy hearted." Jade replied. "You'll find them. If you need reinforcements from Rock, let me know." 

"I will." Graveheart nodded. "Thank you." 

"Graveheart." Blaze's voice called out as he approached the group. "Are we going to go look for my prince, or just stand here and waste time talking to your queen?" 

"We are departing now." Graveheart responded. "Are you sure your men can handle the freezing temperatures the storm brought last night?" 

"Don't insult me, Rock hound." Blaze sneered. "Nothing will keep us from finding Prince Pyrus." 

"Woah-oh, cool down Blaze." Femur interjected has stepped in between them with Cryos. 

"Yes, please." Cryos looked toward Blaze. "I am sure no insult was intended. Graveheart is only concerned for the well being of your men." 

"Yes, that's all I meant." Graveheart nodded. "And if your up to it, we gladly welcome the help of you and your men." 

"Of course." Blaze backed down slightly. 

"Well then." Cryos sighed heavily at the tensions still in the air. Even after three years of being in the Alliance, they were still having trouble working together. Pushing aside doubts about the stability of the Alliance, he began walking toward the low flying craft they would use in the search. 

"Lord Cryos." A tall and young Ice soldier approached the group and kneeled before Cryos. 

"Yes?" Cryos turned toward the soldier. A rare expression of surprise came over the king's face as the soldier stood to address him. "Jaren?" 

"Yes, my King." Jaren gave a small smile. 

"It is good to see you again." Cryos extended his hand toward the young soldier. "I thought you were still on the outer patrol squadron?" 

"I requested leave as soon as I heard of what has happened to Lady Zera." Jaren clasped Cryos's hand firmly. "I just arrived in camp." 

"My daughter will be glad to see you again after so long." Cryos spoke with a small smile as he appraised the young man before him. 

"Graveheart, looks like General Gala's party found something." Femur interrupted the reunion. 

"Come then." Cryos motioned toward the hover craft. 

"Who's the soldier who's all chummy with Cryos?" Femur asked as Cryos and Jaren walked out of earshot. 

"I've only heard Cryos mention Jaren a few times." Graveheart shrugged. "Apparently Jaren and Zera knew each other in early childhood." 

"Funny." Femur raised an eyebrow. "Zera never mentioned him." 

"Cryos said that when the alliance started to form, Jaren joined the fleet, and Zera had other things that occupied her time." Graveheart responded. 

"Like a certain flame headed…" Femur began but was interrupted. 

"Are you going to talk all day?" Blaze glared at Femur for the suggestion he made about Pyrus. 

"I'll take my cruiser with some of these Ice soldiers and meet you at the site." Femur started to walk away from the group as Graveheart started walking toward Cryos's ship. 

"Coming with us, Captain?" Graveheart questioned Blaze. 

"Fine." Blaze would rather be with a Rock hound and an Ice flea than with that fat toad on his cruiser. "But I'm piloting." 

********** 

"Where?" Pyrus spoke in a groggy whisper as his eyes began to open. As his eyes focused on the reflective walls of the cavern, the memories of the day before seeped back into his mind. A puzzled expression crossed his face, however, as he realized the cavern they were in was now filled with the morning light. Perhaps they had been closer to the surface last night than they had speculated in the darkness. A small movement brought his attention to the sleeping princess beside him. Her expression was so different from the anguish it had show last night. A still calm had come over her as the first wave of the Drach'mar had passed. Too exhausted to care, she had trusted Pyrus enough to simply fall asleep in his arms. He smiled slightly as he pondered how such an odd situation had come to end much of the tension that had always existed between them. Now, they were finally more like friends than enemies. As carefully as possible, he inched himself away from her. He knew the embarrassment she would suffer if she awoke in such an awkward situation with him. The fact that he knew her that well made him chuckle slightly. The chuckle caused her to stir and turn toward its sound. 

"Where?" Zera asked as her eyes fluttered open. 

"Rise and shine, princess." Pyrus smirked. "Its about time you got up. I've been waiting for ever!" 

"Oh really?" Zera sat up halfway. "Then why haven't you made breakfast yet?" 

"Because its not in my job description." Pyrus laughed. "Besides, you're the female. You're supposed to do all the cooking." 

"Bah." Zera pushed him over with a punch to the shoulder. "At least what I would cook would be edible." 

"Ya, for lava-dogs." Pyrus laughed again at the scowl on her face as he sat up again. "Anyway, looks like we are next to the surface." 

"Wrong again, genius." Zera smirked as she stood up and pointed at the light source. "Those are just tunnels that lead up to the surface. The light reflects off of the Nanzyte and travels down those shafts." 

"Well we are close though." Pyrus stood as well, but soon found himself back on his knees with a startled gasp. 

"Pyrus?" Zera turned to the sound and rushed to his side. "What ever is the matter?" 

"I'm not sure." Pyrus shook his head. "I just felt weak all of a sudden, and then my legs gave out on me." 

"Looks like the deep cold of these caves are effecting you more than we thought." Zera grabbed the heating blanket, but its energy cell had run out sometime during the night. "Damn." 

"Its alright." Pyrus smiled at her curse. It still sounded funny coming from her. "We just might have to slow the pace a bit." 

"I could just carry you." Zera snickered as she offered him a hand up. 

"Sure you could, Zera Warrior Princess." Pyrus laughed as she helped him to his feet. "After the strength you showed last night, I wouldn't doubt that you could." 

"Last night…yes…" Zera downcast her eyes as Pyrus leaned on her shoulder for support. 

"Oh, sorry Zera." Pyrus nearly hit himself for making a joke about the ordeal she had gone through last night. "I understand if you just want to forget about it." 

"Thank you." Zera looked up at him. "Thank you for being there." 

"Anytime, Zera." Pyrus smiled warmly at her, and he knew that he meant what he said. 

********* 

"That's not good." Femur shook his head at the pile of debris the search party stood around. 

"Do you think they survived?" Graveheart questioned. 

"If they did," Gala replied. "we had best find Lady Zera and Prince Pyrus before they do." 

"You heard him, double your efforts!" Blaze commanded the Fire troupes as they walked away from the wreckage of the Beast ship. "I want them found now!" 

******** 

"What was that?" Zera paused in her steps and tilted her head to the side. 

"What?" Pyrus leaned on the wall as they stopped. 

"Shh." Zera hushed him as she continued to listen. A faint sound echoed off of the tunnel walls. 

"I heard it that time." Pyrus raised an eyebrow and came up closer behind her. 

"Sounds like it is coming from ahead." Zera took a few steps forward, then paused as the sound came again. "We are near an exit tunnel, I'm sure of it." 

"Noise from outside?" Pyrus questioned. 

"No, still to far I think." Zera replied as she thought. "Stay here, I will be right back." 

"Zera, wait!" Pyrus argued, but Zera was already gone around the next bend in the tunnel network. With a long sigh, he decided to enjoy a much needed break to catch his breath. Zera's stubbornness still annoyed him, but her courage also never failed to impress him. For a moment, his breaths paused as his lungs labored to gather the thin oxygen from the tunnel air. He found himself unable to push himself off of the wall as Zera approached with a less than happy look in her eyes. "What is it?" 

"They found us." Zera said as she looked back over her shoulder with a glare back to where she had come from. 

"They?" Pyrus thought for a moment. "The search party?" 

"No." Zera looked back at him with a look of concern as she surveyed his less than well state of being. "It is a squadron of Beast Drones from that ship that shot us down. They are heading strait for us. 

"What!" Pyrus blinked. "Great, just great." 

"How are you doing?" Zera approached him. 

"I've been better." Pyrus smirked. "But I can still kick some drone butt." 

"You don't look that well." Zera eyed him before looking back down the dark tunnel. 

"I'm fine, really." Pyrus huffed. He watched as her face brought on the look of deep contemplation. "Zera, what is it?" 

"I must go." Zera stated without emotion. 

"What?" Pyrus tried once again to force himself from the wall with no avail. "What do you mean, go?" 

"I must go and lure the Beast Drones away from here." Zera said again as she kept her eyes on the dark corridor. 

"Alone?" Pyrus blinked. He pushed himself away from the wall with as much strength as he had left. "I don't think so. I'm coming with you." 

"No." Zera turned her eyes to him with such determination and meaning in them that he lost what little breath he had for a moment. "We only have one shield generator and pistol. Besides, you are to weak. You will only slow me down." 

"Nonsense." Pyrus began, but was quickly cut off as Zera raised a finger and placed it across his lips. 

"You can not withstand the Beast in the state you are in." Zera continued. 

"Look, I'm fine." Pyrus refused to back down as he pulled her hand away from his face. "I'm not going to let you use yourself as live bait." 

"There is no other way." She paused for a moment to look at him, deeply considering and already regretting what she was about to do. 

"There is always another way." Pyrus replied, his concern for her more obvious than he would have liked. 

"Not this time." A small smile came over her face as her mind raced with all they had been through together. The smile quickly faded as she came to grips with what she must do. She knew he would never back down. "I wish there was another way. Forgive me." 

"For what?" His questioning glance into her eyes was quickly replaced by one of shock and mass confusion as she pulled his face down to hers and pressed his lips to hers. Fighting the oddity of it all at first, the grip she had on him tightened as she deepened the kiss . Without fully understanding why, he stopped resisting the kiss and lost himself in it. The cool spirit of her filled him and sent his mind reeling with the strange sensation. In every second that passed, he found his soul aching for more. To her own surprise, Zera felt his warm and gentle arms wrap around her and pull her closer to him as he returned the kiss with a fiery passion. Feeling him return the kiss only saddened Zera, for the true reason behind her kiss would soon be revealed. Though, with in the deepening of the emotion behind it, she began to question what her true reason really had been. She slowly backed out of his arms, both of them looking to the other for an explanation. 

"Pyrus…I…" Zera couldn't bare to look into his eyes so she lowered her own to the ground. Pyrus had been genuine in the kiss. She felt its impassioned truth burning a hole in her spirit. 

"Zera…What…" Pyrus's mind was still in a tumbled chaos, unable to fully deal with or understand what had just happened between them. Then he felt it. A great feeling of cold and weakness came over his body, causing him to slide down to his knees. He eyes went wide with shock as he realized what she had done to him. Nanites. An anger came into his heart for her. He had let his emotions loose for her, found a desire for her in that kiss, and she had betrayed him with it. "Zera…what…why?" 

"Forgive me…" Zera choked back the tears that formed in her throat at the sounds of betrayal in Pyrus's voice. She knelt down beside his weakened body and placed her pendant around his neck. She opened the pendant and looked at it for a long moment. "The signal should work now. I will lead the Beast Drones away from you and the search party will locate you. I will head for the surface as soon as the Drones have been taken far enough away." 

"Why Zera?" Pyrus looked deeply into her eyes as she finally brought them up to look at his face. 

"I am doing what must be done." Zera barely got out over a small sob starting to rise in her voice. She caressed his check again, knowing he would be too weak now to bat it away if he didn't want it there. The small wells of tears in her eyes caused her to turn away from him. The confusion and anger in his eyes were all to obvious to her. As she started to leave him, something inside of her made her pause. What she did next shocked her as much as it did him. She took his weakened face in both of her hands and drew him into another kiss. Despite the meaning behind it for her, nothing was returned from his almost lifeless form. She truly hated herself for what she had done to him, and she knew that nothing would ever be the same between them after this day. 

If she lived that long. 

Without another word, she turned on the shield generator on her belt and ran down the dark corridor. Pyrus was left to contemplate if that kiss had been real or to make sure she had implanted enough nanites to keep him from interfering. 

******* 

"My King, look." Jaren pointed at the ship's scanner. 

"Zera's pendant beacon." Cryos sighed in relief. 

"Altering course and alerting the other search parties." Jaren responded without being asked. 

"They must be near the surface then." Graveheart smiled at Cryos. 

"They are not the only ones." Blaze broke the happy moment and pointed toward the ship's scanner as several void-energy signatures appeared. 

"Drones." Cryos glared at the scanner as the ship turned sharply and headed for the source of Zera's beacon. 

******** 

"What am I doing?" Zera questioned herself in a shaky voice as she headed down the tunnel toward the sounds of the beast drones. They were heading strait for her and Pyrus. If she did not get them to turn the other way, Pyrus would be an easy target in his condition. 

"What did I just do?" She spoke in a hushed whisper, taking a small pause to lean against the tunnel wall. Though her intentions were well meant, she regretted it with every breath she took. With the intention of saving him, she had betrayed him. The fact that he had returned the kiss with a passion that continued to vibrate up her spine only caused Zera more confusion and grief. 

"What will I do now?" Zera sighed heavily. Only hours before they had finally allowed themselves to truly become friends. Now all that had been destroyed with the worst betrayal she could imagine. Though her heart wished to gain an understanding of the kiss he had returned, she knew she would not soon be able to face him. She was not sure if she would ever have the courage to face him. 

Courage. 

"I am doing what must be done." Zera said as she pushed herself away from the wall and focused an angry glare down the tunnel. Even if it meant never seeing Pyrus again, she would do anything to protect him. She would lead the drones away from him. She would fight them until her last breath caused her to stop. She would do what had to be done. With that last bit of encouragement to herself, she stood up strait and turned on the shield generator on her belt. Dropping the supply bag to the ground, she took the small pistol in her firm grip. Rounding the corner, she came face to face with the Beast drones. Glaring at them with an emotional fury, she let out a guttural howl of defiance. 

"Come and get me, if you dare." 

******** 


	3. Where did AvA Go?

Where did AvA-181 go?

Hello everyone! It has been quite a few years since I updated any of my Shadow Raiders or ReBoot fanfics or added anything new.

I have been through a whirlwind of changes in my life, including moving to another country, getting married and becoming a published Science Fiction author.

The ReBoot and Shadow Raiders fandom universe will always hold a special place in my heart because it helped to inspire me and lead me down the path to creating my own universe for my book series. I currently have one book in the series published on Amazon, a free short story on my website and the next book is in progress, due to be published in March of 2013.

To learn more about my current publications, you can visit my website: cekilgore . com

I also would love to hear from you through google+, facebook or twitter. There are links to my accounts on my website. I would love to hear what you all have been up too for the past few years.

Cheers!

AvA-181 ( C.E. Kilgore )


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